Work-positioning device



l l Aug 61927 c. 4 E. Hoon vom( rosirxonms Dnvrca Filed Oct. Z0, 1926.

Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

oHARgiEs E. HOOD, OF LYNN,l 'MassaoHU'sETTa ASSIGNOR To UNITED SHOE MA- c'HiNERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WORK-POSITIONING- DEVICE.

devicesy and is herein illustrated as embodied in' a engaging mechanism Afor locating a sole-l or a-so'le blank relatively to the operatinginstrumentalities of a skiving machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters-Patent No. 1,382,689, granted June 28, 1921, 1n the name of lV. C. Ste-Wart.

Skiving machines of the type referred to are designed for shanki-ng out shoe soles, i. e., forbeveling the margins at 'the `-opposite lsid-es of the shank-portions `of the soles. For this purpose each machine is provided With a die roll and -a pressure roll which oooperate to vfeed a sole past a stationary skiving knife, the die -roll being provided With sleeves, portions of which are shaped to form a matrix for determi-ning the character of the cuts made by the skivin'g knife. In the use of machines of this type the forepart of a sole is introduced manually between the die and pressure rolls and the rear portion of the .sole isvlaid` upon a sole feeding carriage which is operated Vto initiate the feed of the sole. The vsole is positioned longitudinally by means of a back gage on the sole feeding carriage so that, irrespective of the -iength ofthe sole, its ball line Will always bea-r Vthe -samerelation to the matrix.A The sole is positioned laterally With'respect to the matrix by tivo centeringr devices each comprising two' gage fingers articulated for movements in unison through. equal distances toward and from each other, one

pair of fingers beingrno'unted upon thel frame of the machine land arranged to engage the opposite edges ofthe sole at 'the ball or Widest port-ion ofthe forepart, and the other pair of gage fingers being 'mounted upon the sole feeding carriage and arranged to engage the opposite edges of the sole ap proximately at the heel breast line. To accomplish this longitudinall positioning of soles of different sizes Without interfering vith the lateral centering of the heel portions of the soles at the breast line, the back gage and the breast line centering device are made adjust-able in. unison relatively to the sole feeding carriage toward and. from the matrix, and indexing mechanism is provided for effecting this adjust-ment. The

ranG'eof ad'ustment of these vagin@r devices C b t? b is sufficient to accommodate the entire range of sizes of soles for mens and Womens shoes. No provision has been made heretofore, however, lfor accommodating'soles short enough lto 'be used i-n ch'itldrens shoes.

ytively short soles for use in childrensshoes.

InY the illustrated embodiment of the invent-ion this result has been obtained by mounting a second pair of gage fingers vupon the sole feed-ing 'carriage for adjustment toward and from the matrix in unison With theback gage and the other 'heel centering fingers. To avoid the necessity of providing separate equalizing `mechanism for each pair of heel centering fingers, both pairs of fingers have been mounted upon a single pair offcar riers Which are articulated for movements in unison to control the centering movements VVof all the heel centering fingers. The heel centering lingers of the second pair are made longer than the fingers of the 'first pair and are thereby adapted for use in connectioi'i'vvi'th comparatively short soles such vas thosefemployed in the l'making of childrens shoes. In order that 'the relatively long centering iingers shall not interfere vWith the normal operation of the short lingers and vice versa the fingers of each pair are mounted so that they may bepmoved out of operative position Whenthe lingers of the other pair' are being used.` Provision is also made for locking the fingers of each pair in both operative and inoperative positions and if-desired, `the long -lingers and the short tingersm'ay be interconnected for movements simultaneously in opposite directions so 'that the fingers of neither paircan 'interfere 'With the actions of the fingers of the vother pair.

The invention further consists in the fea tures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings,

F 1 is a view, partially -in plan and partially in section, of .so much of a shanking-out machine asis necessary to illustrate the embodiment of thepresent invention therein; 1

F ig. 2 -is a detailed sectional vievv taken along the line 2-2 ofl Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective vieW lof a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, illustrating particularly the mode of operation of the improved breast line centering mechanism, and

Fig. 4E is a detailed view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, illustrating a modified construct-ion of the breast line centering mechanism.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a shanking-out machine ofthe type disclosed in Let-ters Patent No. 1,382,689, hercinbefore referred to. In the drawings, the die roll is indicated at 3, the matrix sleeves on the die roll at 10, the pressure or feed roll at 12, the skiving knife at 14, the sole feeding carriage at 16, the heel or back gage at 18, the back gage slide at 20, and the ball line or forepart centering gages at 22. The breast line or heel part centering gages are designated by the general reference nu- 'meral 24 andL a portion of the indexing mechanism for adjusting the back gage and the breast line centering gages is indicated. at 26 in Fig. 1. A sole blank, herein shown as a block sole S, is shown supported by the sole feeding carriage 1G with the ball portion of the blank extending between the die roll and the pressure roll, in readiness to be acted vupon by the portions of the sleeves 10 which constitute the matrix. rhe sole blank is located lengthwise with reference to the matrix by means of the back gage 1S and is centered laterally relatively to the matrix by the gaging devices 22 and 2li. The die and pressure rolls co-operate to feed the sole blank past the skiving knife while the matrix acts upon the opposite margins of the shank portion of the sole blank to oiiset these margins vfrom the plane of the sole, thereby deflecting them into the plane of the skiving knife so that they will be reduced or beveled as the sole blank is fed past the knife. The knife cuts from the ball line toward the breast line, rtherefore, to accommodate different sizes of the sole blanks the back gage is made adjustable toward and from the knife and indexing mechanism is provided whereby all soles, irrespective of size, may be initially located with the ball line in the same relation to the knife. The centering gages for the heel portion of the sole are made adjustable in unison with the back gage to insure that they will engage the edges of different sized sole blanks in substantially the saine relation to the breast line. With the exception of the back gage 18 and the centering gages 24 for the heel portion of the sole blank, all the parts of the machine thus far mentioned are substantially the same in construction and arrangement and have substantially the same mode of operation as corresponding parts disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, and reference may be had to said patent for details of construction and operation not fully set forth herein.

As heretofore constructed shanking--out machines of the general type just described have been adapted to operate upon soles for mens or womens shoes and the range of adjustment of the back gage and the breast line centering gages has not been suiiicient to accommodate small soles such as those used in childrens shoes. As herein illustrated, provision has been made for accommodating soles small enough to be used in childrens shoes without interfering with or modifying the indexing mechanism for adjusting the back gage and the breast line gages toward and from the knife. To this end, the illustrated back gage is mounted with provision for an increased range of adjustment relatively to the slide upon which it is supported and improved means has been provided for centering the heel portion of the sole.

lThe increased range of adjustment of the back gage is attained by lengthening the slot 2S through which extends the screw 29 by means of which the back gage is secured to the back gage slide 20.

The improved means for centering the heel portion of the sole comprises two pairs of centering fingers 30, 30 and 32, 32, each pair being mounted upon carriers 34e, 34, in the form of levers which are pivoted upon posts 36, 3G carried by the back gage slide 20. rhe carriers31l are provided with arms which extend toward one another and carry gear segments 4:0 which intermesh so that the carrier (and the gage fingers respectively mounted thereon) will move in unison. One of the carriers 3st is acted upon by a tension spring L12 which is secured at one end to the carrier and at its opposite end to a pin 44 on the slide 20, and which tends to move the centering fingers inwardly. A stop screw 46 is mounted on the slide 2O and arranged to engage one of the carriers 34 so as to limit the inward or approaching movement of the gage fingers. By turning the screw 416 the gage iingers may be adjusted for operating upon different widths of soles so that a sole of a particular width may be inserted between the gage fingers of either pair without requiring excessive movement of the gage fingers.

is shown, the gage iingers 30 are Vcomparatively short while the gage fingers 32 are comparatively long, the lingers 30 being adapted for use in connection with relatively long soles such as those used in mens and womens shoes while the fingers 32 are adapted for use in connection with relatively short soles such as are employed in childrens shoes. In order that the short tingers 30 may be prevented from interfering with the normal and effective use of the longfingers 32 in the centering of short sole blanks, and in order that the long fingers 32 may be prevented from interfering with the proper use of the short iingers'B() in lll centering of long sole blanks, and more particularly longblock soles, the gage fingers of each pair are so mounted lupon the respective carriers 34 that each pair ofvfingers may be mo-ved out of' operative sole-engaging position when the .other pair of `fingers are being used. To this end, each finger 30 is pivoted at 48 between ears formed on the respective carrier 34 for up and down. swinging movements at right angles to the in and out movements of the fingers in the performance of their centering functions.k

The gage fingers 32 are similarly pivoted, as indicated at 50, between ears on the carriers 34. In Fig. 3 the short fingers 30 are shown as being operatively positioned for engagement with the edges of al sOle while the long fingers 32 are shown as having been swung upwardly into vertical inoperative positions, out of the plane of the sole, where they will not interfere with the proper functioning-of the short fingers 30. lrVhen the long finaers'32 are swung downwardly into horizontal or operativepositions, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. for operation upon short soles. the short fingers 30 will be swung upwardly into vertical or inoperative positions. To hold each gage nger 30 in operative or inoperative position. as may be desired, a spring-pressed locking plunger 52 is carried by each of said ngers and is arranged to engage with one or the other of two holes '54 in a segment plate 56 formed on the respective carrier 34. Similarly, spring-pressed nlungers 58, carried bythe long gage fingers 32, serve by co-operation with holes 60 in segment plate 62 on the carriers 34. to lock the long gage fingers in either operativ-e or inoperative positions.

In using the above-described improved breast line centerinfr mechanism. if a relatively long sole is to be operated upon. the short lingers 30 will be operatively positioned and the long gage fingers 32 will be swung into raised or inoperative positions, as shown by fulllines in Fig. 3. To adapt the machine for operation upon rela tively short soles it is only necessary to adjust the back gag-e toward the knife 14, to swing the long gage fingers downwardly into the horizontal or operative positions shown by dot-ted lines in Fig. 3. Vand to raise the short gage `fingers 30 from horizontal to vertical positions where they can- `not engage any portion ofthe sole blank (such for example as the rear corners of a block solei so as to interfere in any way with the centering action of the long gage fingers. By providing a pair of long gage fingers. and a pair of short gage fingers and mounting the long and short fingers of'each pair upon the same'carrier, as Aabove described. the shanking-out machine has been adapted (by the -employment of mechanism of a very simple character) for operation upon a lmuch wider range of sizes of sole blanks, and this adaptation of the machine has been effected without interfering with or modifying in vany way the construction or mode of operationof the calibrated indexing mechanism for effecting the initial adjustment of the machin-e in accordance with the particular size of sole blanks to be operated upon.

Fig.' 4 is illustrative rof a breast line centering mechanism of modified construction wherein provision is made `for facilitatingproper adiustment of the `long and short gage fingers and insuring that neither shall interfere with the effective opera-tion of the other. For this purpose each of the long gage fingers 32 is connected with the respective short gage finger 30 by intermeshing gear segments, such as shown at 60 (Fig. 4), in such a manner that movement of either gage finger toward or from operative position will cause movement in the opposite direction of the other gage finger, thus insuring against any possible interference of either finger with the 'other and enabling adjustment of both fingers .to be effected by the manual movement of one of' them. As shown. the long gage finger 32 carries the spring pressed locking plunger 58, already described.. which is arranged to co-operate with holes in the segment plate 62 for locking the gage finger in eitheroperative or inoperative position. Inas'much as the long gage finger 32 is connected with the short gage finger 30 through the intermeshing gear segments 60, asabove set forth, it will be appreciated that it will not be necessary to associate an .additional locking plunger and co-Operating segment plate with the short gage finger, since positive locking of both gage fingers in either operative or inoperative position is insured by the use of a single locking plunger and segment plate. By embodying this modified construction in the machine not only is the construction of the centering mechanism materially simplilied but, as above mentioned, the selective adjustmentfof the long and short gage fingers is. made easier and the interference of either gage finger with the action of the other is insured against. f

The-invention having been described, what I claim as 'new and desire to secure by Letters Patentfof the United States is:

l. In a machine of the class described, movable gage fingers'for locating sole blanks having certain characteristics, and other gage fingers -movable in unison with said movable gage fingers for locating sole blanks having different characteristics from those acted upon by said movable fingers.

2. In a machine of the class described, articulated gage fingers forv laterally centering the ends of long sole blanks, and other gage fingerscarried by said articulated finiin ll (l gers for laterally centering the ends of short sole blanks.

In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, in combination, operating instrumentalities, a pair of movable gage lingers for centering the heel portions ot long soles, a second pair ot movable gage fingers tor centering the heel portions of short soles, and a pair ot cairiers articulated i'or movements in unison to control the centering movements ot both pairs of gage lingers.

t. ln a machine for operating upon sole blanks, the coi ibination With the operating instrun'ientalities, of a sole feeding carriage, a pair ot movable gage fingers for centering the heel portions of long soles, a second pair of movable gage fingers for centering the heel portions ot short soles, and a pair of carriers mounted upon said carriage and articulated for movements in unison to control the centering movements of both pairs ot gage lingers.

5. ln a machine for opera-ting upon sole blanks, in combination, operating instrumentalities, a support adjustable toward and from the operating linstrumentalit-ies, a pair oi' movable gage lingers mounted on said support for centering the heel portions ot long soles, a second pair ot movable gag-e lingers mounted on said support for centering the heel portions ot short soles, andv means for causing the lingers ot each pair to move in unison tovvard and from each other. V

(5. In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, in combination, operating instrunientalities, devices for operating upon the ends ot soles ot a particular range ot sizes for centering the ends of the soles laterally with respect to the operating instrumentalities, devices for operating upon soles of a different range ot sizes for centering the corresponding ends ot the soles laterally With respect to the operating instruinentalities, and .indexing mechanism for adjusting said centering devices in unison toward and from the operating instrumentalities.

T. In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, a gage mechanism comprising articulated centering lingers movable into and out oi position for engaging the opposite edges ot the heel portions ot sole blanks of a cer ain range of sizes, an-d other centering lingers movable into and out of operative position for engaging corresponding portions ot sole blanks of a diflerent range of sizes.

S. in a machine for operating upon sole blanks, in combination, operating instrumentalities, a support over Which a sole blank is moved into position to be operated upon, a pair oi pivotally mounted carriers connected for movements in unison toward and from each other, relatively short gage fingers for engaging the opposite edges of long sole blanks severally mounted on said carriers,

and relatively long gage fingers for en-v nected for movements in unison toward andV from each other, relatively short gage lingers for engaging the opposite edges ot' long sole blanks severally mounted on said carriers, relatively long gage lingers for engaging the corresponding portions ot short sole blanks severally mounted upon said carriers :for movements into and out. of the plane of a sole on said support, and means for locking said gage lingers in operative and in inoperative positions.

it). in a skiving machine ior shanking out sole blanks, in combination, a skiving knife, a. pressure roll, a die roll With a matrix, means for supporting a blank to be led lengthwise bteween the rolls, adjustable means 'tor locating a sole blank lengthwise with respect to the matrix, centering gages movable toward and from each other in unison :tor engaging opposite edges at the heel end oi" a sole blank to center long blanks laterally with respect to the matrix, and auxiliary gages carried by said centering gages for centering short sole blanks laterally with respect to the matrix.

ll. In a machine :tor operating upon sole blanks, the combination with Athe operating instrumentalities, of a support over which the sole blanks are moved into position to be operated upon, a pair ot carriers articulated for movement in unison toward and from the path of the blanks, gege lingers severally mounted on said carriers tor movements into and out of the plane ot a blank on said `support for laterally centering sole blanks of a certain range of sizes, and other gage lingers severally mounted upon said carriers for movements into and out ot the plane of a blank on said support tor laterally centering sole blanks ot a dililerent range of sizes.

12. In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, the combination ivith the operating` instrumentalities, of a support over which the sole blanks are moved into position to be operated upon, a pair ot carriers severally pivoted at opposite sides of the path of movement. of' the blanks for movements toivard and trom each other, connections between said carriers for causing them to move in unison, gage fingers severally pivoted on said carriers 'for movements into and out of the plane of the blanks for laterally centering blanks of a certain range of sizes,

other gage lingers severally mounted upon said carriers tor movements into and out ol the olane of the blanks tor laterally centering blanks ol a dil'lierent range ol sizes, andv means for locking all ol said gage lingersin both operative and inoperative positions.

13. In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, the combination With the operating instrumentalities, oii means lior locating both long and short sole blanks lengthwise With corresponding portions of the blanks bearing the same relation to the operating instrumentalities, a set of gage lingers for laterally centering the ends ol:v long sole blanks, and another set ol gage lingers for laterally centering the corresponding ends of short sole blanks, the gage lingers of both sets being movable into and out of operating positions so that the lingers of either setV may be used selectively.

14. In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, the combination with the operating instrumentalities, olf means for locating both longI and short sole blanks lengthwise with correspondingportions oi`I the blanks bearing the same relation to the operating instrumentalities, a set ol' lingers for laterally centering the ends ofv long sole blanks, and another set ol gage lingers for laterali7 centerinoa the corres'ondinsr endsl ot short sole blanks, Aall of said gage lingers being movable into and out of operating positions and being interconnected to insure that When either set of lingers is operatively positioned` the other set will be inoperativelypositioned.

15. In a machine for operating upon sole blanks, the combination With the operating instrumentalities and means yfor locating long and short solerblanks with corresponding portions in same relation to the operating instrumentalities, oll two sets of gage lingers, one set for laterally centering the ends ol' long sole blanks and the other set.

for laterally centering the corresponding ends of short sole blanks` the lingers olf one of said sets being mounted to be moved out from each other, a pair of primary gagel lingers severally pivoted on said carriers lor movements into and out of the plane of the blank for laterally centering the blank with respectto the operating instrumentalities, a pair of secondary gage lingers severally pivoted onsaid carriers for movements intoy and out ol' the plane of the blank for `laterally, centering the blank, and connections betvveen each primary finger and each vsecondary linger for causing the main and secondary fingers to move simultaneously in opposite directions. i

17. vIn a machine for operating upon sole blanks, in combination, Operating instrumentalities, a support over which a sole blank is moved into,v position to be operated upon, a pair of pivotally mounted carriers connected tomove in unison toward and from each other, af pair of primary gage lingers severally-pivoted on said carriers forA movements into and out of the plane of the blank lor laterally centering the blank' with respect to the operating instrumentalities, a pair of secondary gage lingersV severally pivoted on said carriers for movements into and out of the pla-ne of the blank for laterally centering the `blank, connections between each primary ling-er and each secondary ringer for causing the main and secondary lingers to move simultaneously in opposite directions, and a single device for locking both the primary and the secondary gage'lingers in operative and in inoperative positions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES E. HOOD. 

